2.
~ "Is this New York Chinese food?" Darcy asked her parents as the family was settling into their dinner of take out. Since they recent move, Ariadne had taken a well deserved break from cooking. There were just to many choices in foods in this city. Too many cultural mash ups to cook from home.
They had feasted on Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Russian and American foods since they arrived. Darcy always asking if what they were eating was New York egg rolls, and wanting to know how much egg was in them.
Her parents could only hide little smiles at her innocence and excitement of living in the city. How shocked she had been on her first day of school to discover that none of the other children in her class spoke French.
"They call me; 'That French girl'!" Darcy had cried into Ariadne's arms that day.
The little girl soon found out there were benefits to being so different. Her classmates were very interested in her and her life in Paris, and the second day, she had come running to her Mama telling her about all her new friends.
Dominic was now feeding himself and never wanted what was on his own plate. His big brown eyes searching with interest at what his mother or father was eating.
"It's nice to not have to worry about what to cook anymore." Ariadne told her husband.
"As long as it's New York approved." Arthur agreed.
They watched as Darcy tried to eat with chopsticks. The simple joy of a child who entertained them so much.
"My mother and I used to eat Chinese food just like this when I was little." Arthur said softly.
Ariadne turned to her husband. He never spoke about his mother. His wife rarely even seeing pictures of the beautiful ballet dancer who died form a Brain tumor when he was not much older then Darcy.
This fine apartment in Manhattan had been his childhood home and, in may ways, it was odd the be back here as an adult.
His father never changed the furniture or other things from his boyhood. Everything was exactly the same and he hated it.
"I still think we need a decorator." Ariadne told him as she looked over the fine antique furnishings.
"This place reminds me too much of when I was little." He told her curtly. The discussion coming to an end.
"This house is too dark." Darcy agreed. Suddenly inviting herself into the conversation.
"Your right, Darcy." Arthur said proudly. "This house is too dark."
~ In the large guest room of his late father's home, Ariadne relaxed into bed. Her feet were hurting as her husband rubbed away the stiffness.
"You should have heard how those women were talking about you." Ariadne teased him. Telling him all about Stacy's attempts to seduce him.
"That blond woman? Looks like she needs to work at strip club?" Arthur asked.
"That's the one." Ariadne said with a smile.
"She creeps me out. I feel nervous around her." He admitted as he massaged the arc of her swollen foot.
"Your not going to fire her because she was flirting with you, are you?" He wife asked.
"No, I'm going to fire her because she's incompetent, lazy and passes off her work on someone else." Arthur said.
He sighed as he kissed her now relaxed foot.
"First priority is to trim the fat. Get rid of everything and everyone that is weighing the company down. I've already got a list of more then 100 people." He said sadly.
"Layoffs?" Ariadne asked. "I thought that's what we were here to prevent."
"Layoff's were inevitable." Arthur told her with a sigh as he climbed into bed with her. "The company has been running at a loss for years now. Lowe seems to think a more streamline approach will work. There are too many people on payroll and with benefits, retirement." Arthur sighed and rubbed his eyes. "We might not be able to contribute to the pensions anymore." He said sadly.
"It's only temporary." Ariadne said. "A scale back is good. As far as their retirement, it's not a permanat thing. It's so they can keep their jobs."
"Lowe thinks that we might not be able to find share holders to invest now that people know how seriously in the red were are." Arthur said as she curled next to him.
"In the red for now. There is a whole new management team in place and a total restructuring. And you are not your father." Ariadne told him.
Arthur smiled. He rolled over so that they could look at one another face to face in their small guest bed.
"I knew their was a reason I married you." He whispered as his fingers traced through her hair.
She smiled back at him. The joy she felt when this handsome CEO talked to her and not to the haughty girl coming back in her mind.
"You have no idea how glad I am your here with me now." He whispered as his hands wandered up her night shirt. His fingers tracing over the tight skin of her belly. His second son kicking at him. This new baby was much calmer then his brother. He didn't love to kick her all day.
"You missed me?" She said teasingly as she felt his hands roam over her breasts. His lips finding hers in the dim light of their bedroom.
"I would leave the office and couldn't wait to call you. Couldn't wait to hear your voice." He whispered huskily as he pulled her night shirt off her body with ease. His hands and lips finding her sensitive breasts. Reveling in the fullness of them from the pregnancy.
Her body snapped into life from his attentions. He barely had to do anything for her to become aroused lately. Her husbands presence and smells exciting her. She flushed hard as he whispered how much better making love was in person then over the phone. The distance they had to endure leading to them spending hours in their mutually empty beds as only their voices were able to touch one another.
"I told you once..." he panted as she moaned under him. "I never want to sleep alone again."
~ "Is this New York Thai food?" Darcy asked as Ariadne couldn't wait any longer for Arthur to come to dinner. For the past month, he had been in his little home office after he came home from his tour of facilities, board meetings and all things that drained him.
"Yes, Honey." Ariadne said looking over at the Point Man. He was still on the phone. Still wearing that scowl on his face.
"Edwina, come and eat." Ariadne said to the petite woman who had served as Arthur's secretary and her friend since his father passed away over 2 years ago now.
Edwina looked exhausted too. Everyone in Arthur's inner circle at the company looked worn and weary from the nonstop work.
"Thank you." Edwina said fixing a small plate of food and sitting down.
Ariadne went into the little home office. Her husband was on the phone and looking angry.
"How long was she still in the building after HR spoke with her?" He asked. His face pulling into a deeper scowl.
"Arthur?" She said trying to get his attention.
He put a hand up.
"No, just give her ID photo to security. If she comes back, call the police and have her arrested for trespassing. I don't care what she threatens." Arthur said. He looked up at Ariadne.
"Look, my wife is calling me to dinner." He said to the phone and finally hung up.
"What happened?" She asked as she stepped close to him. Sitting in his desk chair, he pulled her close. His head resting on her belly as his arms encircled her body.
"The layoffs didn't go very well." He said sadly. "I knew they wouldn't, but several people were upset enough to make threats."
"I see." Ariadne said running a hand over his hair. Her husband had seemed to age rapidly over the past month. The stress of what he had inherited weighed heavily on him.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
He stood up and sighed.
"I knew with wouldn't be pretty." He said with a shrug. "Just don't think it would be that bad."
"Come to dinner." Ariadne said gently. "Were having New York Thai food."
~ "The teacher made me stand up in class and speak in French and tell them what it was like living in Paris." Darcy told them when the Point Man took a seat at the family table.
"What did you tell them?" Arthur asked. Amused, as always, by Darcy's world. Her problems so much more simple then his.
"I told them that when I came to live in France, I lived in America first. I told them that my French teachers never made me tell them about life in America." Darcy said.
Ariadne smiled.
"Their just fascinated by you." Edwina said comfortingly. "If I went to school with you, I would be fascinated." She told the little girl.
"Well Chris Wilson isn't fascinated by me." Darcy complained as Dominic didn't care for his dinner and his mother gave him oatmeal and bananas.
"Who is Chris Wilson?" Arthur asked.
"He's the boy all the girls like. I want him to be my boyfriend. But he said he doesn't like foreigners." Darcy told them.
Arthur sat up in shock as Edwina and Ariadne burst out laughing.
"You don't need any boyfriends, Darcy." Arthur said. "Especially none like Chris Wilson." He added.
"Arthur." Ariadne giggled helplessly.
A knock on the door brok the happy moment.
"Who is that?" Arthur asked putting his fork down and striding over to the door. Ariadne put her plate in the sink and followed him.
She stopped when she saw the two police men. They were speaking softly with Arthur.
"Arthur?" Ariadne asked. Her husband turned a worried look to her.
"It's alright." He said in a broken, scared voice. "Ariadne, take the kids into the other room."
She didn't question it. She had been his wife long enough to know when he was serious. She had never seen him so serious.
"Edwina, take the kids to their rooms, please?" Ariadne asked as she shut the dinning room door and went back to Arthur.
"Sir, we have to take you in." One of the police men was saying.
"It's is a huge mistake. I have been with my family every night for the past month. You can check with the door man or look at the security cameras in the lobby." Arthur told them.
"Were just here to take you in for questioning." The officer said.
"Arthur, what happening?" Ariadne said.
The Point Man let out a long sigh. He looked so exhausted. So beaten down.
"Stacy Richards, the one you met at the office?" he told her. "She's accusing me of raping her."